All posts by z3u9t.icu

Sheffield United will be 'tested' in their efforts to keep hold of forward Iliman Ndiaye this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Iliman Ndiaye?

According to The Sun, Ndiaye has interest in his services from Premier League side Everton, who are said to be keen to offer £20 million to sign the Senegal international.

Ligue 1 giants Marseille are also believed to be keen on Ndiaye, which is something that could worry Bramall Lane chiefs as he has a desire to play in the French top flight at some point in his career.

Last month, The Daily Mail claimed that Tottenham Hotspur are another potential suitor in the hunt for the 23-year-old and sent scouts to watch him against Preston North End in the Sky Bet Championship during the campaign.

The Sheffield Star detail that Blades' boss Paul Heckingbottom has made inroads to try and keep Ndiaye by offering his prize asset a new deal at the club that will increase his wage and include a release clause.

Ndiaye has one year left on his current terms at Sheffield United and is 'expected' to attract attention from several clubs in the off-season.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that keeping Ndiaye will be a challenge for Sheffield United this summer.

Jones told FFC: "Sheffield United won't want to lose him, there's no doubt about that, but their resistance is going to be tested, depending on what offer actually lands for him this summer."

Will Sheffield United be able to keep a hold of Iliman Ndiaye this summer?

It is impossible to say; however, the fact that Sheffield United will be playing in the Premier League in 2023/24 will offer the Blades hope that Ndiaye can stick around for a while yet.

As per Transfermarkt, Ndiaye had a stellar campaign for Sheffield United and played a major part in their promotion from the Sky Bet Championship, registering 15 goals and 12 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions.

WhoScored show that Ndiaye has the propensity to burst into areas of danger for his side and completed around 2.4 dribbles per match in the English second tier during the campaign.

Chance provision is also a quality that comes naturally to the Senegalese forward, who successfully carried out 138 shot-creating actions in the Sky Bet Championship over the course of the term, according to FBRef.

Looking ahead, Sheffield United will have a job on their hands trying to keep hold of Ndiaye at Bramall Lane, though they will hope they can tie him down to a longer deal to end speculation surrounding his future.

Manchester United remain interested in signing Atalanta forward Rasmus Hojlund this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest Man United transfer news?

As a potential takeover looms over Old Trafford this summer, bringing with it great uncertainty, Erik ten Hag may have to remain patient in the transfer window.

In a season that saw United finish third and win the Carabao Cup, the club's first silverware since 2017, the positive feelings that have been largely missing since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure arrived back at Old Trafford.

However, as is the way in football, things move on pretty quickly, with Ten Hag now expected to do bigger and better things next campaign. To achieve this, he will need some financial backing, but how much he will receive remains unclear.

One thing the Red Devils distinctly lacked last year was a centre-forward, a focal point. Wout Weghorst's emergency loan was far from fruitful and Anthony Martial's fitness issues kept him sidelined for far too many games.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Man United are strongly considering a big-money move for a new number nine, looking towards Atalanta and Denmark's Rasmus Hojlund as a potential solution.

"Mentioning the striker situation, two players are now being considered at Man United," declared Romano. "One is Rasmus Hojlund. I always told you about him, there is an interest on Manchester United side."

"He is represented by SEG agency, the same as Erik ten Hag, so there is this conversation about Rasmus Hojlund. But for Man United, it is crucial to understand the final price tag because at the moment Atalanta are asking around £70m for Rasmus Hojlund and Manchester United were hoping to pay less than this."

Romano adds that the Red Devils do not believe Hojlund is worth £70m and are therefore reluctant to match this valuation. As has been documented by their pursuit of Mason Mount, United are willing to stand firm this summer after years of overspending on players.

The same can be said of the club's interest in Harry Kane, which has since diminished due to the sizeable transfer fee required to sign the 29-year-old.

Is Hojlund ready for Old Trafford?

Considering Hojlund has only played 36 games at a club in a top-five league, it is understandable that United are not ready to put ridiculous sums of money on the table to sign the 20-year-old.

All of those came last season with Atalanta, with the Danish forward putting up 11 goals in those matches. Hojlund has also managed more goals than games in an admittedly small sample size at international level (six goals in five games).

The forward only arrived in Serie A in 2022, joining from Sturm Graz in Austria for just under £15m.

While United would clearly be paying for a talented youngster with an enormous potential, the riskiness of such a lucrative deal may not be worth the gamble for Ten Hag.

Serie A champions Napoli are reportedly interested in signing Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate this summer.

How important is Konate for Liverpool?

The 24-year-old arrived from RB Leipzig two years ago and has reached a point where there is an argument to say he is the Reds' best centre-back option.

Much of that will depend on how Virgil van Dijk performs after a poor campaign by his high standards – with Konate Liverpool's standout player in that position in 2022/23. Indeed, when fit, the Frenchman averaged 2.1 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game in the Premier League, compared to Van Dijk's 0.8 and 1 per game for those metrics respectively.

The £70,000-a-week Konate is a hugely important player for Liverpool and should continue to be for many years – assuming he stays at Anfield for the foreseeable future. A worrying new update has emerged, however, with Konate linked with a shock exit from the Reds.

Could Napoli sign Konate this summer?

According to Corriere dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Napoli are eyeing a summer move for the Liverpool ace, seeing him as a strong option to come in and replace Kim Min-jae, who is set to join Bayern Munich.

He has "not played so much" for the Reds, which is seen as a reason Napoli potentially have a chance of signing him, although they realise a "remarkable" fee would be needed to have any chance of snapping him up.

Frankly, the idea of Liverpool losing Konate this summer doesn't even bear thinking about considering he is still only 24 and has so many years ahead of him at the top level.

With Van Dijk and Joel Matip both ageing and Joe Gomez nothing more than a backup option, it is imperative that the Reds keep hold of someone who could be the leader of their defence well into the future.

While Napoli are clearly a great club in their own right, Konate will surely not even consider moving on from Liverpool, with a promising summer materialising in the transfer market and a stronger season surely expected in 2023/24 following a blip last time around.

Jurgen Klopp has hailed Konate as "incredibly talented" and no doubt values him greatly, and his absence was felt badly when he was injured last season, with the Reds boss clearly using him whenever he was available.

Liverpool simply must retain his services for as long as possible, hopefully extending his current deal at some point, which expires in the summer of 2026.

Celtic "really want to compete" in the Champions League next season and "make a mark" in the competition, according to Sky Sports' Anthony Joseph.

What did Joseph say about Celtic?

Celtic will once again enter the Champions League group stage after winning the Scottish Premiership last season and will be hopeful of making a slightly bigger impact in Europe's premier competition next year than they did last.

Drawn into a difficult group with then reigning champions Real Madrid, RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donetsk, Ange Postecoglou's side only managed two points – two 1-1 draws with Shakhtar.

A couple of humblings by Real Madrid and competitive but ultimately fruitless encounters with Leipzig resulted in an underwhelming European venture, but luckily for the Hoops they have another chance to shine on the continent this year.

Who Celtic's opponents will be this time round will become apparent at the end of August, but the Scottish side will be hoping for a more favourable draw than last season.

According to journalist Joseph, the Hoops are relishing the chance to make amends for last season's European performances, now with Brendan Rodgers back at the helm at Parkhead.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT: "In my conversations with contacts and sources, they keep stressing that they really want to compete in the Champions League and make a mark in Europe.

"And certainly, in the new format, they feel they have the foundation and the budget to win the league this year and put themselves in that position to get that increased Champions League revenue, and the increased amount of matches and really make a mark."

The Champions League is set to change format in the 2024/25 season which will result in a shift to an overall league table and will move from teams playing six games to eight games in the opening round.

The revenue that each club makes from playing two extra games could be significant and Celtic will be hopeful of building themselves into a force on Europe's biggest stage.

Scottish clubs have generally struggled to compete with the more traditional 'big league' clubs in recent years, despite a storied history in Europe in the past, but the Hoops are evidently eager to change the narrative around clubs north of the English border.

While it will be nigh on impossible for Celtic to replicate the Lisbon Lions of 1967, they will be desperate to make it beyond the group stage for the first time since the 2012/13 season.

Who are Celtic signing?

If last season's treble-winners want to spring some surprises in the Champions League they will need to invest heavily this summer.

Rodgers' task of improving his squad in the market will have been made significantly easier by the £25m his side are to receive for Jota's move to Saudi Arabia. While not all this will be spent on new recruits, it certainly allows Celtic to invest in keeping Rangers at bay for another year.

The Bhoys have already brought two new faces to Parkhead with Odin Thiago Holm and Marco Tilio, the latter a potential replacement for the departing Jota.

The two youngsters will likely be only the beginning of a wave of new signings in Glasgow as Rodgers receives the backing he needs to continue Celtic's dominance in the Scottish Premiership.

Celtic have been linked with former loanee Mohamed Elyounoussi, as well as Fabian Rieder and Yang Hyun-jun in recent weeks, with Celtic preparing their attack on Europe next season.

The loss of Richarlison has been hugely detrimental to Everton.

Although his move to Tottenham Hotspur has unravelled into a disaster so far, he was an indispensable component for the Toffees across four seasons, netting double figures in the Premier League on three occasions.

The inability of the Everton hierarchy to replace the forward nearly resulted in relegation, but now with a full summer to assess their options, he must be adequately replaced.

As a result, Victor Boniface has been namedropped as a possible target.

What’s the latest on Victor Boniface to Everton?

According to Sacha Tavolieri, Everton took initial information on the Royale Union Saint-Gilloise star as they assess a potential deal. The Toffees are yet to table an offer for the striker, but he is open to a move to Goodison Park.

Although a deal is at the very early stages, it will definitely be one to watch across the summer.

"We are not yet at the stage of formal negotiations but I understand #EvertonFC took initial information on player’s side to glimpse the possibilities of a deal for Victor Boniface," he tweeted. "There is actually absolutely NO offer for the Nigerian striker on the table of #USG even though the player’s open to a move. Interesting transfer to follow this summer."

Is Victor Boniface shades of Richarlison?

The 22-year-old machine has been at Union SG since last summer and has enjoyed the most productive season of his career to date. Across 55 appearances in all competitions, Boniface bagged 34 goal involvements, which has alerted Everton to his talent.

His manager Karel Geraerts has lauded his quality and said:

“I think Boniface, he's doing very good in the team.

"Boniface showed that he has a lot of qualities, he’s strong, he can go with speed. I think now he needs to be physically strong and keep this tempo for 90 minutes.”

The young Nigerian's well-rounded profile and the way he’s excelled in Belgium means he looks ready for a step up to a more fierce league. This is indicated by his rank within the best 13% outside Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for non-penalty goals, assists, progressive carries, and successful take-ons per 90.

There is brimming potential in the youngster with scout Jacek Kulig saying he is renowned for his pace, finishing, instinct, heading, athleticism, and movement.

These dynamic and physical traits were also regularly exhibited by Richarlison during his time in the north-west.

The Brazilian has been praised by his former boss Carlo Ancelotti for his similarly unique skill set:

“He is a modern and complete forward, not very sharp on his feet but coordinated and with great synchronization in the area. He is also strong with his head, although he is not a giant. For me, he is among the best forwards.”

The veteran coach made his admiration for the former Watford dynamo extremely clear and also said:

“Richarlison was a fantastic talent before me and will be a fantastic talent after me. He has skills and ability… power and strength and speed.”

In 152 appearances, he recorded 67 goal involvements and his “hard-working” attitude endeared him to the Goodison Park faithful, where he was one of the most popular members of the squad.

Although Boniface would be a rather risky signing due to his lack of experience, it would undoubtedly be exciting.

He could provide Sean Dyche with a different option to the injury-stricken Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and could easily out-score the anonymous Neal Maupay, who has netted just once in his Everton career.

Leeds United remain interested in signing Newcastle United's Karl Darlow, and there is now a good chance the goalkeeper leaves this summer, according to a recent report from The Northern Echo.

What's the latest Leeds transfer news?

Leeds are expected to sell goalkeeper Illan Meslier this summer, although his existing five-year deal is free of a release clause, and Dean Jones believes he will be gone at some point during the transfer window, although it may be after the season starts.

The transfer insider told GiveMeSport: "Leeds know that they can't get caught out in that position. So I think the idea is they'll look to sign someone who will have a view to being the number one.

"As even if Meslier hasn’t gone by the start of the season, the feeling is that he will be gone by the time the transfer window ends.”

There is now a pressing need for the Whites to bring in a new goalkeeper, as Joel Robles has now confirmed his exit from Elland Road, having signed for Saudi Arabian side Al-Qadsiah, who are managed by Robbie Fowler.

According to a report from The Northern Echo, Leeds remain interested in signing Darlow, who has fallen down the pecking order at St. James' Park, and although there's a good chance he leaves Tyneside, Newcastle chiefs are unwilling to let him leave on the cheap.

The Magpies are holding out for a significant transfer fee, which means Hull City and Middlesbrough have dropped out of the race for the 32-year-old, with Hull boss Liam Rosenior saying:

“I don’t think Karl is someone that will be joining us. Karl is someone I loved working with, he’s an outstanding goalkeeper, but the price that Newcastle are speaking about is something we can’t do this summer."

How good is Karl Darlow?

The £30k-per-week shot-stopper has not received a great deal of game time for Newcastle as of late, making just one EFL Cup appearance for Newcastle last season before being loaned out to Hull City in the January transfer window.

During his time with the Tigers, the 6 foot 3 colossus performed very well, averaging a 7.08 Sofascore match rating in the second half of the campaign, the second-highest figure of any player in the squad, displacing Matt Ingram in the starting XI.

The Englishman has displayed a willingness to get involved in the play over the past year, averaging 51.75 touches of the ball per 90, which places him in the 99th percentile compared to his positional peers, and he also ranks in the 85th percentile for his clean sheet percentage.

Meslier let mistakes creep into his game last season, with former Leeds defender Jon Newsome branding the Frenchman "really poor" after he made an error in the 4-1 defeat against AFC Bournemouth, and it is probably a wise decision to let him leave.

Although Darlow has not been able to force his way into a very good Newcastle side, he has proven himself as a top goalkeeper at Championship level, and Leeds should undoubtedly continue pursuing a move.

Manchester United have been craving the addition of a striker for so long now, and it finally seems like they are starting to close in on their man…

How much have Manchester United spent on transfers this season?

That's according to journalist Alfredo Pedulla, who took to his website to offer a fresh update on their pursuit of Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund.

He would suggest that the Red Devils remain in contact over the Danish international, who has become an increasingly important target for Erik ten Hag to bring in. Especially considering the emergence of Paris Saint-Germain as a rival for his signature.

An offer of around €60m (£52m) plus bonuses is expected in the coming week, although it was noted back in June that the Italian outfit would not sell for any less than €100m (£87m).

Such an outlay would bring their summer spending up significantly, which has already been buoyed by the additions of Andre Onana (£47.2m) and Mason Mount (£55m). It seems poised to be yet another expensive window for the Manchester club, who are still seeking a return to their former glory days.

How good is Rasmus Hojlund?

Whilst the signing of a striker like Hojlund would almost guarantee goals, which would improve any team, it is the supplementary benefits that his arrival would bring that would surely transform Ten Hag's side.

After all, his outfit have been continuing to provide for lacklustre front-men akin to Wout Weghorst and Anthony Martial, even at times operating without a number nine at all.

The emergence of someone as clinical as the 20-year-old would be paramount, as he notched 16 goals and seven assists across all competitions last season. Such a figure equalled the tallies of the two aforementioned forwards, Antony and Jadon Sancho all combined in the Premier League most recently.

Bruno Fernandes is someone who would certainly benefit from a marksman with a bit of quality, who has both the physical presence to forge space, but also the pace to latch onto his seeking long balls.

The latter asset is emphasised by writer Sacha Pisani, who claimed: "Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund is scary quick."

Last campaign the Portuguese maestro averaged 3.3 key passes per game in the Premier League, forging a ridiculous 32 big chances despite only earning eight assists, via Sofascore.

To compare these figures with Kevin De Bruyne, who has enjoyed the striking talents of Erling Haaland, the Belgian instead created 31 big chances of his own, but instead ended up with 16 assists in the league, via Sofascore.

Back during his first few campaigns at Old Trafford, following his move from Sporting CP, a huge debate raged on regarding who was the better creator out of these two attacking midfielders. After all, during the 2020/21 campaign, the 28-year-old posted 45 goal contributions across all competitions, which dwarfed the 28 of his Etihad alternative that year.

The recent success of Manchester City has seen that argument silenced in favour of the latter, but should Fernandes have his own top forward to feed off, his numbers could return to the level required to rival the 32-year-old maestro once again.

Hojlund may not quite be as clinical as Haaland, with his 17% goal conversion (in Serie A) a far cry from the 29% (in the Premier League) he will seek to emulate, but the potential the young forward boasts is huge.

If he could hit the ground running at Old Trafford, not only could his goals spearhead an unlikely title charge, but once again fans could be treated to the very best of Fernandes.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in Sporting CP forward Youssef Chermiti, as Julen Lopetegui bids to end his side’s woes in front of goal.

It’s been a busy summer for the Midlands club, who have offloaded ten players ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The latest news has reported a move away for Raul Jimenez, who has been approached by Fulham where a fee has been agreed, giving Lopetegui another incentive to chase a new forward.

Could Wolves sign Youssef Chermiti?

As reported by Portuguese outlet Record last week, Wolves have had scouts present at Sporting’s recent friendly to watch Chermiti.

The 19-year-old could be available for a fee in the region of £17m, with the report claiming that the Portuguese giants expect €20m for their forward.

With a release clause of €80m (£69m) included in his contract, Lopetegui could pounce on the teenager's rumoured availability for a cut-price.

How good is Youssef Chermiti?

Rising through the ranks at Sporting, the academy graduate made a breakthrough last season, recording 22 appearances in all competitions for his boyhood club.

Deployed as a traditional centre-forward, the “very interesting” teen, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, got among the goals last term, scoring three and assisting two in 16 Liga Portugal appearances, via Sofascore.

Lauded as a “superb prospect” by Kulig, Chermiti made a fast start to his senior career, scoring two and assisting once in his first three starts for the first team.

Despite only averaging 58 minutes per game in the league, the 19-year-old needed little time to make an impact, averaging 1.8 shots per game and acting as a strong presence leading the line.

For Wolves, the bright talent could be an encouraging capture this summer, as the club prepares to bid farewell to much-loved striker Jimenez.

The Mexican scored 57 goals in 166 appearances for the Old Gold, including two consecutive rich scoring streaks to get the side comfortable on their return to the Premier League.

Scoring 30 goals over his opening two campaigns in the Premier League, the 32-year-old fired Wolves to claim two consecutive seventh-place finishes to seal the club a place in the Europa League.

Jimenez was the leader of all things positive at Molineux on their return to the top tier, however, the former Benfica forward had his career halted by a life-threatening skull fracture sustained in 2020.

Missing the remainder of that season impacted the Mexico international, who was lucky to play again, however, his form was unable to be recaptured, with him netting just ten goals since his return.

A goalless campaign last term suggests that the 32-year-old’s departure comes at the best time for club and player, with Chermiti posing as a strong candidate to take his throne.

Described as a ‘pure striker’ by The Scouting App, the teenager has had his strengths identified through his ‘physicality, explosiveness, sense of goal and eccentricity’ by the scouting site, making him the perfect fit to replenish Lopetegui’s side in front of goal.

Still very early into his career, the teenager could be given the chance to shine as the leading man at Molineux, in a move that could ease the sadness of Jimenez’s pending departure.

Manchester City target Michael Olise could replace Riyad Mahrez on the right flank at the Etihad Stadium, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Which clubs are keen on Michael Olise?

According to 90min, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal have all expressed interest in Crystal Palace winger Olise this summer, who has a £35 million 'mechanism' in his contract at Selhurst Park.

Nevertheless, the report claims that Chelsea are 'confident' that they have won the race to acquire Olise ahead of other competitors and cite the positive relationship between the Blues and Olise's family due to his younger brother, Richard, being on the books in west London.

Football Insider have revealed that Pep Guardiola is targeting Olise as a potential replacement for veteran winger Mahrez, who has recently left the Etihad Stadium to join Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal.

Despite this, Crystal Palace are believed to be prepared to offer Olise over £100,000 per week to commit his future in south London and continue his development in his current surroundings. The France Under-21 international is 'content' at Roy Hodgson's men and values the level of first-team involvement he receives at Crystal Palace greatly in spite of interest from elite-level sides.

Last term, Olise made 40 appearances in all competitions for Crystal Palace, notching two goals and 11 assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano thinks that Olise could be a serious candidate to replace Mahrez at Manchester City and has declared his situation as 'one to watch' in the coming weeks.

Romano stated: "City are looking for that kind of player. They have a list of three wingers this summer because they have to replace Mahrez, who's going to join Al Ahli in the next few days.

“So yes the conversations are ongoing at the moment, still not something that is advanced, but I think Olise could be one to watch in August.”

What now for Manchester City?

Citizens boss Guardiola will be keen for his side to come alive in the transfer market between now and the end of the window to add some quality reinforcements to join Mateo Kovacic in the North West.

New signing Kovacic has indicated that he would be delighted to see his international teammate Josko Gvardiol arrive at the Etihad this summer as negotiations continue between Manchester City and RB Leipzig over a potential deal, as per The Daily Mail.

Kovacic said: "Josko has great potential. He can come here and learn and be the best version of himself. I’d obviously like it — I’m a good friend with him and he’s Croatian. It would be nice to have a Croatian by my side here. He is ready for this step.

Manchester City are also said to be 'following the case' of Lyon forward Bradley Barcola at close quarters amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig in the Villeurbanne-born ace, as per RMC Sport.

Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard has been earmarked as a potential replacement for Kyle Walker at Manchester City should the veteran English defender head the other way to join the Bundesliga champions this summer.

With Newcastle United having qualified for the Champions League with a fourth-placed Premier League finish this year, optimism is rife at St. James's Park; the Toon are on the up after years of obscurity.

Manager Eddie Howe deserves all the plaudits for his transformative effect on the squad, but the work plied on the transfer front has been the foundation of the success, and technical director Dan Ashworth will have known the importance of getting it right this summer to solidify the newfound stature.

Well, Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes have completed transfers to bolster the midfield and wings respectively, while a £40m deal with Southampton for exciting young full-back Tino Livramento has recently been agreed.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

It's taking shape, and there is perhaps just fine-tweaking left to unleash the latest version of this burgeoning squad, which could lead to the capture of Edson Alvarez from Ajax.

What's the latest on Edson Alvarez to Newcastle?

According to The Times (as relayed by West Ham Zone), the Magpies are among the suitors for the Mexico international as they prepare for continental football.

However, Chelsea and West Ham United are also pushing for a deal, and Ashworth must act swiftly if he truly wishes to add the 25-year-old, who is valued at €30-40m (£26-35m), to the thriving fold on Tyneside.

Should Newcastle sign Edson Alvarez?

There is no doubt that Alvarez would bring a newfound resilience to the Magpies midfield; that is to no detriment to Howe's current crop, rather, a testament to the defensive, deep-lying ball skills of the Ajax ace.

As per FBref, the 6 foot 2 titan ranks among the top 5% of midfielders across Men's Next Eight divisions for pass completion, the top 1% for passes attempted, the top 9% for progressive passes, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 1% for clearances and aerials won per 90.

And having completed the Eredivisie season with an average Sofascore rating of 7.29 after scoring three goals and assists apiece, completing 89% of his passes and forging 2.4 tackles and 2.3 clearances per game, it's clear that he can match the energy and tenacity of the current United fold.

Described as a "monster in midfield" by reporter Felipe Cardenas, Newcastle could wield their very own version of pre-eminent Manchester City midfielder Rodri by capturing the 69-cap Alvarez.

The Spaniard has been sensational since completing a £63m move to the Etihad Stadium from Atletico Madrid in 2019, having made 207 appearances and won a wealth of silverware including the historic treble this year – where his goal secured the club's maiden Champions League trophy against Inter Milan.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 1% for passes attempted, the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 9% for aerials won per 90, and through these metrics it is clear to see Alvarez might be able to match the Sky Blue phenom in both passing aptitude and stature in the core of the midfield.

Once hailed as an "incredible" player with "special qualities" by his manager Pep Guardiola, Rodri is the solvent of the imperious Citizen squad and Alvarez could prove to emulate his peer by moving to St. James's Park and etching his own legacy into English football.